The innovations and related subject matter disclosed herein (collectively referred to as the “disclosure”) generally pertain to fluid heat exchange systems. Some systems are described in relation to electronics cooling applications by way of example, though the disclosed innovations may be used in a variety of other applications. More particularly, the innovations and related subject matter relate to mechanical retention systems for retaining a heat exchange component adjacent to a heat-exchange surface of a subject of heat exchange.
Heat sinks, including fluid heat exchangers, are used to cool electronic and other heat dissipating devices by accepting thermal energy (heat) from such a device and dissipating the heat to another medium, as by passing the heat to fluid flowing through or over the heat sink. Some heat exchangers are configured to transfer heat to a device (e.g., an endo-thermic reaction chamber). Mechanical retainers disclosed herein can be used in connection with either type of heat exchanger.
Despite the existence of many previously proposed heat sinks and fluid heat exchange systems, a need exists for heat exchange systems configured to provide improved thermal performance. As well, a need exists for systems configured for existing and developing small form factors. For example, a need for exists for compact, low-profile heat exchange assemblies (e.g., integrated heat sink and pump assemblies) having a vertical component height of about 27 mm, such as between about 24 mm to about 27.5 mm, or less. Hereinafter, such heat sinks and heat exchange components will, for convenience, be referred to as an “HX unit”
A number of improvements have been recently made in the field, as disclosed, for example, in US patent applications, 61/522,247, filed on Aug. 19, 2011, 60/954,987, filed on Aug. 9, 2007, Ser. No. 12/189,476, filed on Aug. 11, 2008, 61/512,379, filed on Aug. 12, 2011, Ser. No. 13/401,618, filed on Feb. 21, 2012, and Ser. No. 13/559,340 filed on Jul. 26, 2012, which applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their respective entireties, for all purposes.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, for example, known heat exchange systems 300 typically are configured with retention elements 302, such as integrated flanges that flare off the body of the system. The flanges have holes through which a fastener is placed to mount a housing to a surface holding the subject to be cooled (or heated). The retention elements 302 are arranged to match or otherwise correspond to the arrangement of mounting points on the surface. Taking as a non-limiting example the case of a CPU that is to be cooled, the CPU will be mounted on a motherboard or other such circuit board. The fastening points for the HX unit will be predetermined and specified by the manufacturer of the board or another party. Because a great variety of CPUs and their boards exist, the manufacturers of HX units usually must design their HX units to have retention elements that match (or correspond to) the mounting patterns on the mounting surfaces. Disadvantageously, this increases tooling costs for HX units and creates assembly inefficiencies.
Although some prior art HX units have been retained in an operable position by a separable retention element, known separable retention elements have been cumbersome to install. For example, an installer typically has needed to hold the HX unit and the separable retention element in position while engaging a plurality of fasteners (each of which usually requires the use of a tool to engage the fastener).
Accordingly, a need exists for a mounting system that allows a given HX unit design to be retained to each of a plurality of patterns of mounting points, or having differing mounting systems of the same pattern, e.g., varying screw diameters, snap-fit connectors instead of screw receptacles, etc.